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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S5W-18921

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 11 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether internet providers will be obligated to connect premises in a way that delivers 30Mbps as part of the R100 programme.

Under the Scotland Act 1998, the legal and regulatory responsibility for telecoms in the UK rests solely with the UK Parliament and UK Ministers. On that basis, the Scottish Government has no powers to obligate Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to provide services to premises in Scotland.

We are using our economic development powers to subsidise a supplier (or suppliers), through the Scottish Governments £600 million Reaching 100 Percent or R100 programme, to deliver a wholesale broadband network capable of delivering speeds in excess of 30Mbps in areas that would not otherwise be served by a commercial service and, in this way we are addressing and helping to overcome market failure. The chosen supplier(s) will be obligated to have an anchor service provider in place and to encourage a wide range of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to use the network.

Question reference: S5W-18923

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 11 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether excess construction charges will be extended to internet providers supplying services through R100 programme infrastructure.

Question reference: S5W-18674

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 25 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what consultation was undertaken regarding the installation of a pedestrian crossing in Crocketford and with whom.

A meeting was held with residents of Crocketford and Springholm on 21 March 2017. Mr Humza Yousaf, Minister for Transport and the Islands attended the meeting alongside representatives from Transport Scotland and Police Scotland.

At this meeting the Crocketford residents requested that, along with additional speed reducing measures, a pedestrian crossing be provided. Transport Scotland subsequently commissioned Scotland TranServ (STS) to investigate if there was a demand for a crossing based on current assessment criteria. The investigation found that the most effective crossing facility for the A75 in Crocketford is an uncontrolled pedestrian crossing. Two uncontrolled crossings are programmed to be installed in Crocketford by the end of November 2018.

Question reference: S5O-02391

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 September 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what contact it has had with the Welsh Government since the recent Joint Ministerial Committee meeting.

Question reference: S5O-02383

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 September 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its commitment to fund the regeneration of the Stranraer Waterfront.

Question reference: S5O-02346

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 12 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support the food and drinks industry.

We continue to work with farmers, food producers and industry bodies to drive forward the Ambition 2030 food and drink strategy. Our new Programme for Government sets out a range of new measures to support the sector, building on the range of work that is already ongoing.

Indeed, direct investment and support to the food and drink sector in Scotland from the public sector across a range of areas including skills, education, research, industry development, standards and capital investment equates to approximately £100 million per annum.

Question reference: S5T-01213

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 September 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Dumfries and Galloway Council regarding the closure of the new North West Community Campus in Dumfries.

Question reference: S5W-18195

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to transport connections at the ferry port of Cairnryan.

Transport Scotland is currently working collaboratively with local and regional authorities to undertake the South West Scotland Transport Study – Initial-Appraisal: Case for Change. This will consider the rationale for improvements across all modes in the area, with a particular focus on access to the ports at Cairnryan. The study will feed in to the process of gathering robust evidence to enable decisions on support for infrastructure improvements.

Question reference: S5W-18194

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with stakeholders regarding plans for a new town station in Stranraer.

Currently there are no plans for a new town station at Stranraer. Transport Scotland is working collaboratively with local and regional authorities to undertake the South West Scotland Transport Study - Initial-Appraisal: Case for Change. This will consider the rationale for improvements across all modes in the area, with a particular focus on access to the ports at Cairnryan. The study will feed in to the process of gathering robust evidence to enable decisions on support for infrastructure improvements including for potential new rail stations.

Question reference: S5W-18192

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to invest in an upgrade of the A75.

Since 2007 the Scottish Government has invested £75 million in road maintenance and approximately £50 million in six new schemes along the length of the A75 to improve overtaking and remove known pinch points. Transport investment has to be supported by robust evidence and that is why Scottish Government is undertaking the South West Scotland Transport study. This study is considering the rationale for improvements to road, rail, public transport and active travel on the key strategic corridors including the A75 and A77 as well as the railway corridors to Stranraer and Carlisle via Kilmarnock and Dumfries, with a particular focus on access to the ports at Cairnryan.

An Initial-Appraisal report will be produced which will include recommendations setting out possible transport interventions which will be considered through the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2).